SteamDB and ValveTime dug through the code of an older version of the performance test, and they unearthed all sorts of interesting artifacts from Valve’s earlier attempts at mad VR science. Now, it should be noted that none of this “confirms” that certain games are in development, especially since the ant lion’s share of these assets come straight from older games. If nothing else, though, it’s fun to see old friends dusted off and polished up in Valve’s new Source 2 engine. And hey, when a company’s as secretive as Valve, it’s fun to get a glimpse behind the curtain. So, without further ado...

A snazzy spaceship demo:

A Portal-themed test map in which Atlas just kinda dies repeatedly. Cheery!

A Left 4 Dead-themed test map:

A level that was apparently designed to host a headcrab shooting gallery. Poor headcrabs:

A super cute test version of a drawer from the Aperture Robot Repair demo. Context: you open the drawer. All the tiny people inside it proceed to freak out, believing you to be some cruel, looming god:

Oh and of course, there are the usual code strings containing things like “HL3.” Again, that doesn’t “confirm” anything, but it’s nice to dream of a world in which Valve employees aren’t fed to a furnace’s slavering flames any time they say, “Hey, maybe we could try making a video game again?”

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